International Living Community

Welcome Brian, it’s great to have you! Remember you can access and search the International Living Magazine Archive and reach out to IL Customer Service about your membership benefits. You’ll find information on books and other products and upcoming events. In this forum you’ll find helpful posts on different countries (and we invite you to post questions you don’t find the answers for). Again, welcome to the Community… you’re an ILer now. Here’s to thinking… and living… internationally

In both countries, the only way to get a passport is by acquiring citizenship, which requires living in those countries for a continuous period. Thr spouse can't get citizenship ifhe/she isn't living there. In Lithuania, if the spouse of a citizen lives in the country for seven years as a permanent resident they are eligible to apply for a passport.Getting permanent residency is more or less the same as it is in the US, with registering your foreign marriage with the Lithuanian government, having a place to live, sufficient funds, and so on. In Poland, the foreign spouse must first live in the country with a temporary residence permit based on marriage. After that, the spouse can apply for permanent residence. The spouse must remain on that status for another year. As long as you haven't been absent for more than 10 months in total over that five year period, the spouse can then apply for citizenship. One thing that can cause complications in both cases is whether the Lithuanian or Polish citizen was recognized as such at the time of marriage. Lithuanian law doesn't require that a couple be married for any particular period before they apply for citizenship, but Poland says that you have to be married to a citizen for at least three years. Some Polish officials interpret that as meaning that you have to wait for three years after your spouse became a citizen, whilst others counted from the date of your marriage. But under Polish law, once you're recognized as a citizen by right of blood, your citizenship is backdated to the time of your birth. The problem is that not all Polish bureaucrats know that!

Hello Sherry, I've been to Playa del Carmen as a solo traveler for two 10-day stays over the last two years. I LOVE Playa and its people. Everyone I've met and interacted with have been unbelievably friendly and helpful. Even without speaking much Spanish, I've never had a problem and feel safe walking wherever I want to go. I'll be spending this November and December in Playa, and I can't wait. Although some tourists are unsettled about the police presence on the beach and in the town, I feel safe with them. Unless you are partying hard or driving in an unsafe manner, they will not bother you at all. I hope you will give the Riviera Maya a try. And remember, expect the best and you'll experience the best.

Hi @CARRIE2020 I have emailed you about the European Living Seminar. Hope this helps! Millie, IL Community Moderator

Hi @CNUGENT1 Thanks for your question! We’ve checked in with Glenda Cole, our expert in Portugal, to get an answer to your question. Here is her response, First, that type of renting is called long let. When searching, enter "long lets in _____". Idealista.com is a great site for both buying and renting, but it can be difficult to find just a month or two there. If you have a general idea of what area you would like to explore, you can look for long let companies in that area. Typically, going local can save you money. For example, I rent my villa near the sea in the Algarve in July and August. You can find it on Air BnB, but you would save quite a bit by going through my local management company, Luz Villa Rentals. Before I bought, I used to rent in the western Algarve for three months in the winters. I used two companies: Lagos Long Lets and Coolhouses Algarve. Both were good.

Hi Don, Thanks for your question! We've checked in with Margaret Summerfield, Real Estate Trend Alert, to get an answer to your question. Here is her response, The cost would depend on a number of factors – where the property is located, if the seller is tax resident in Spain, etc. The typical costs are: 1, real estate agent fees (vary from 3% to 10%) 2, capital gains tax – which can be up to 24% of the gain for a non-resident, non EU/EEA seller. Deductions are allowed, and the tax can be lower if the seller is tax resident/selling a primary residence/using the proceeds to buy a primary residence 3, plusvalia (like a municipal land tax) – this is based on the rise in value of the land the property sits on from the time of purchase to the time of sale - and is on a sliding scale based on how long the seller has owned the property. If say you have held it for up to 5 years, it’s around 3.7% 4, legal costs (around 1%) 5, You also need to pay for certificates (including an energy performance certificate), cancelling a mortgage if there is one, etc.

Sorry. Posted in the wrong place. For Mexico look into Guadalajara and Oaxaca.

I suggest you download Idealista and you easily draw a map of where you want to live and they notify you of all rental properties in that area. You will easily find an apartment in Caminha for between 600 and 800 Euros per month. Good Luck it's a great place to live

Thanks for the interest and for a great idea. I have a few suggestions that may help. with the third and fourth week. First take a look at the type of climate you want to live in, Italy is mostly a mediterranean climate but parts of Italy are considered sub-arctic and some parts are very hot and very dry. .... Second look at the type of topography you want to live in! Mountains, seashore, valley, it is all here. Tuscany is rolling hills but Italy has a lot more and many places that are a lot less expensive. Umbria, Abruzzo and Le Marche come to mind immediatly for the small village, that very homey feeling with fresh local food and a sense of community,. But much of |Italy has that in its small towns. That is why I stressed finding the topography and the climate you want first. Finally for your last two weeks, I would rent a car and travel. and try to get lost. Italy has so much to offer that traveling might open your eyes to new things. Book BnBs or hotels on the fly and I have found that not using the standard BnB website can save you as much as 30% a night. You are definately in for a lot of fun... enjoy and I hope this helps make your journey even more successful. Chip Stites, Italy Correspondent, International Living Magazine.

Hi @SDKRANZ1 Thanks for your question! The Portugal page on our website and our Portugal Guide have plenty of information you might find helpful on everything you need to know about moving to and living in Portugal. Here are the links: https://internationalliving.com/countries/portugal/ https://www.ilbookstore.com/portugal-itinerary Best of luck!

Hi Chip. I am a dual US/Italian citizen living half the year in our house in my ancestral hometown in bella Sicilia and half in our house in Tucson, Arizona. I speak Italian, French and Spanish and am retired but my husband (who speaks Spanish and is learning Italian) is not so we arent ready to sell the Tucson property and move permanently abroad. This background to explain that we're not beginners when it comes to msking our way through Italian bureaucracy and I'm not finding a lit beyond the very basics in IL to hrlp us prepare for the next phase of leaving the US for good. I thought the Bootcamp seminar sounded good but unfortunately its not online and we aren't going to Las Vegas. In sum, Im hoping you might be the person to offer the "beyond the basics" information we are looking for to prepare for the fulltime European life we envision that invludes a homebase, msybe a second rustic getaway and travel. First, although I am in the Italian healthcare sustem, my husband is not yet an Italian citizen so what health insurance options would he have here? Health insurance with his current job in the IS is one of the reasons he hasnt retired yet and a concern even when he is here on vacation. Thank yoh do much and I look forward to hearing from you. Christine Conte

Hello, I've been able to get more than a 90-day supply with the drs approval in the states before leaving, but my insurance would not cover anything over 90, had to pay out of pocket. Depending on what drug you need, I would see if it is available in that (or those) countries without a prescription. For example, I was able to get metformin for type 2 diabetes in Ecuador just by asking for it at the counter.

Hi Patrick, Congrats on joining the IL community, it's great to have you! Remember in addition to the wealth of articles being posted on the main website www.InternationalLiving.com and running in the magazine https://members.internationalliving.com/magazine-issues/2024/ there's also the IL YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@internationalliving/featured, great videos to watch while working out, commuting, unwinding, etc. Explore & discover - happy trails! Best, IL Overseas Editor Jess Ramesch

Hi @DAVIDOSTON Thanks for your question! We’ve checked in with Ted Baumann, our Global Diversification Expert, to get an answer to your question. This was his response, As with most countries, Portuguese immigration bureaucracy can be difficult to decipher. It's not uncommon to hear of Wildly different timelines for approval of visa applications. There are many variables, including the embassy or consulate where you made your application, the nature of the supporting documentation and evidence that you provided, whether you used a service provider to help with the application and even the temperament of individual bureaucrats. In general, the best approach is always to go with an experienced immigration consultant. Not only can they ensure that your application is done right the first time, they often know individuals within the bureaucracy who they can contact to expedite matters. In my experience, the charges they levy for these services are more than worth it.

Hi, I'm Bel the Mexico Correspondent and I was in San Miguel de Allende a couple of months ago. Is this the San Miguel you are referring to? I live in San Miguel de Cozumel, and there are other San Miguel's throughout the country so I just want to check I give you the correct information. Assuming it's this San Miguel, allow me to put your mind at ease. I went out to the popular expat neighbourhoods outside of the city and they were full of beautiful modern homes and good infrastructure for driving around, close to major shopping malls and quiet. But if mountains aren't your thing, then on both east and west coasts you'll fine lively, fun beach towns and cities with plenty to do and beautiful natural scenery. I would recommend checking out (scroll to the bottom of) our Mexico page which has 43 places listed an there are plenty to choose from depending on the area you'd like to live. You can find that here - https://internationalliving.com/countries/mexico/ Warmest regards, Bel - Mexico Correspondent.

Hi @MARKASHIRAZI Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g

Julie and Warren Knox have traveled across multiple countries with their pets. You might find their tips helpful too: https://magazine.internationalliving.com/internationalliving/library/item/may_2023/4094026/

Tronadora

Hi @REALPETE Thanks for getting in touch. My recommendation would be to check out Warren and Julie's YouTube page. They're colleagues of ours and have spoken at our online events. They have expertise in the area and should be able to offer the information you need. Here's a link to their YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsMbJWT2e-3CRhy8LJOa7_g Thanks again, Millie, IL Community Moderator

The much-awaited Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) visa has been relaunched with new terms and conditions. We've just posted an update on our website: https://internationalliving.com/malaysias-mm2h-relaunch-what-expats-need-to-know/